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PGY1

Vincent Lim

Bio: I was born and raised in the city of… you guessed it… Winnipeg! Starting off as a math nerd in junior high and high school attending extra weekly weekend math tutorials, I naturally transitioned into a science nerd in university and somehow found myself in a microbiology lab growing bacteria cultures, and running gels and PCRs all day before finding my fit in medical school. During my time in medical school, I was fascinated with the acuity and diversity that Emergency Medicine offered which is what attracted me towards this specialty. After graduating, I refused to leave this city for residency and I couldn’t be happier with the decision. What drew me towards U of M’s Emergency Medicine program is how clinically strong the residents and staff are, which speaks to the value of being able to work in an environment that gives you the opportunity to deliver care to such a unique population with diverse and complex pathologies. In addition, the amazing Emergency Medicine family here is second to none. My colleagues are people I enjoy spending time with both inside and outside of the hospital. When not working, I enjoy exercising, going out with friends, playing rec dodgeball, wasting time on the computer, and travelling whenever I can. If you have any questions about the program or general don’t hesitate to ask, my email is vince204@gmail.com

Andrea Kokotilo

Roman Nepomuceno

Bio: Formerly known as the Thrilla from Manila, Roman left his island lifestyle in the Philippines to move to Winnipeg, a city with great summers and even better winters. He's a firm believer that every opportunity is merely another possibility yet to be realized. In his previous life, he dabbled in immunology and worked with level 4 viruses while maintaining a career as a certified fitness trainer focused on helping novices in their pursuit of a healthier lifestyle.  A serendipitous opportunity doing humanitarian work in Eastern Africa ignited his passion for helping disadvantaged and at-risk populations during times of crises. This led him to a brief yet rewarding stint as a paramedic primarily serving Winnipeg's at-risk population and where he found his niche in medicine. He found his way to emergency medicine where he continues to look for more opportunities to serve the community that has taught him so much.

Joey Ringaert

 Bio: I was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba and I have done my entire undergrad training here thus far. One of my main interests in life is sports. I played on the U of M golf team, played high school hockey, where I learnt that unless you were as big as Erik Hildahl you were going nowhere except through the boards, badminton, curling, ultimate frisbee and recently started to play squash. If anyone wants to pick up a game, I’m always in, with the exception of Nate Ashmead who I have yet to beat at ANYTHING. Emergency medicine was a natural choice for me as I enjoy the rush of being on the front line, problem solving through every case and knowing that I don’t have to think about what to wear every day as scrubs are mandatory (I am a private school kid who wore the same 3 white dress shirts from September to June every year). So far the U of M Emergency program has been everything I could have hoped it would be and I can’t wait to see what the next 5 years has in store for me. If anybody has any questions please feel free to email me at umringae@cc.umanitoba.ca

Anne Sutherland

  PGY 2

Kyle Burkett
Bio: As a resident in the emergency medicine program Kyle is excited to learn the intricacies of this specialty. Specifically, he is interested in disaster care, emergency medicine in a global health context, the psychology of high stress interactions, and basically anything emerg. What drew Kyle to this specialty is the diversity of issues and how to become a expert at being pulled in multiple directions at once. When not in the ED this new resident would most likely be found on the slopes at Big Sky, Montana or exploring new parts of the world. Kyle is keeping an open mind over the next years of residency as to where his interests will lead him.
email:ky.burkett@gmail.com

Eric Hildahl
Bio: Erik is another Winnipeg lifer in the group, nothing too special. Growing up he had a passion for athletics; playing or watching just about anything remotely passable for a sport. Soon realizing that becoming a handball savant or badminton champion of the world was not in the cards, he directed his focus on academics. Erik did his undergrad degree here at the University of Manitoba while “trying to keep the dream alive” and playing Junior hockey. He took advantage of the very fist MMI interviews at the U of M, and somehow slipped through the cracks into medical school despite interviewing with a fading black eye and a fresh scar from taking a “puck” to the face. After completing medical school, he could not be more thrilled to join the amazing Emergency Medicine family here in Winnipeg!! With an interest in Emergency Medicine brewing early on in medical school, it was incredible how welcoming and helpful all of the residents and faculty were in making THIS dream a reality! The hands on training, variety of interesting cases and pathology and incredible academic days are second to none. The best part of all is being able to spend the next 5 years with Harold. ”He sure is one great guy” Erik says.
Go Jets go
email:erik.hildahl@gmail.com

Harold Peters
Bio: Harold was born in Winnipeg, raised in Winnipeg, did undergrad and medical school in Winnipeg and is pumped to be starting his ER residency in none other than Winnipeg. So he's more or less your typical Winnipegger. He loves this city and is very proud that this small corner of the world is home to a great medical program. A well seasoned traveler, he loves to use vacation time to explore new parts of the world. Having conducted a fair amount of infectious disease research before medical school he was surprised to have fallen in love with emergency medicine. The interest started in med 1, and he couldn't shake it. "I'm super pumped to be here", says Harold "Although I'm not so pumped to see Hildahl." He also enjoys long walks, cooking, astronomy and all kinds of music. Must love dogs.
email:tba

Helen Yaworski
Bio: Helen hails from a farming community in central Manitoba, which exists merely as a stop sign on Highway 10. After a circuitous route through nursing, marriage, and childrearing, she has returned to her “home” in ER. Helen is excited to part of the ER team in a program that offers such support and diverse learning experiences.
email:tba

PGY 3

Nathan Ashmead

Bio: Well….. It is an honour and a privilege to have my photo here amongst all these fine residents. For the surprised reader, I recently transferred from Orthopedics to the exciting world of Emergency Medicine. What does this mean exactly? Basically that I had to buy back my stethoscope from Craigslist, dust off my 2nd year medical textbooks on gynecology, and start thinking about AIRWAY before OPEN fractures! I count myself extremely lucky to be a part of this fantastic program and would like to thank all those who made it possible, including Dr. Palatnick and Dr. Minish, as well as my previous program director Dr. Clark. I am a B.C. boy turned Winnipegger who initially traded his snowboard for snowshoes and who is now trading his screwdriver for an ultrasound probe. Should be fun!
 

Aaron Guinn
Bio: I grew up in the wilds of suburban Winnipeg, and spent my youth playing street hockey, piano and trumpet, and watching science documentaries on PBS (even at this point in my life I was a large nerd). Most of this was not by choice, but rather for the sanity of my parents, and to save my twin sisters from me attempting to teach them algebra. Initially, my aspiration in life was to be a teenage mutant ninja turtle; however, seeing as I was not allowed into the sewers, this was not practical. I started undergrad with the intention of doing a degree in theoretical physics, but I realized that this would be about as practical as trying to be a ninja turtle. And besides, I liked biology and physiology better... which lead me into medicine. I chose Manitoba for residency, as the pathology and clinical experiences here were the best I had anywhere in the country. That, and the residents and staff were the smartest, friendliest, and most human group I had encountered. Couples matching was stressful, though ultimately successful as we got our top pick of EM and General Surgery in Manitoba. When I'm not in the ED trying to figure out if this is the 4th or 5th time the patient in resus has ever been stabbed for "minding their own business," I enjoy paddling, playing piano, trying new restaurants, reading everything I can get my hands on, and wasting time looking at funny pictures of cats on the internet.
email:aaronjguinn@gmail.com

Lisa Moddemann
Bio: Like my esteemed colleagues in PGY-3, I also grew up in the wonderful suburbs of Winnipeg. By the time I was 17 I was itching to fly the coop so for my Undergraduate studies I headed east for an adventure at the University of Western Ontario. There I developed a penchant for what some might call "hipster sports:" ultimate frisbee, disk golf, and winter and summer kite-boarding. The University of Manitoba suckered me back to my home town for med school. And to be honest, I was a little bit reluctant to come back home. The Winnipeg I remembered (under-age and living in the suburbs) was not my idea of a good time. Since coming back though, I have fallen in love with Winnipeg. The music scene here is fantastic (seriously, good live music every night of the week), there are festivals going on all of the time, more delicious restaurants than you can shake a stick at.... OK I'll stop bragging now. Other than loving Winnipeg, my other interests include traveling to far and wide places, trying to become a wine connoisseur, and continuing with my ridiculous sporting interests. I am really happy to be here in Winnipeg for residency. We get the best hands-on training, lots of simulation, ultrasound, and pathology like no other.

Kristjan Thompson
Bio: I'm a prairie boy through and through. Your typical Gimli, MB lovechild: half Icelandic, half Ukrainian...an Icekrainian if you will. I’m a Winnipeg lifer: kindergarten, high school, undergrad, med school, and now, my FRCPC EM residency—this place just can’t get rid of me! As an undergraduate student at the University of Manitoba, my career aspirations included: astronaut, professional icecream taste-tester, and/or government spy. In 2007, I tore up my application to CSIS and gave up on a promising career in international espionage—a medical degree would just have to suffice. I was a bit of lab geek, and with a background in medical microbiology and basic translational research I had the opportunity to co-author several publications in the field of infectious diseases, focusing mainly on antimicrobial resistance and surveillance. From my humble days sitting behind a microscope, I eventually found my niche in the emergency room. Chalk it up to a love of ‘all things medicine’, high-functioning obsessive-compulsive tendencies, ADD, and borderline mania—the ER was a perfect fit for me! My current academic/career interests include emergency medicine, microbial surveillance and epidemiology, medical education, and health-care administration. In real-life, I’m an avid traveler, washed up amateur theatre performer/film producer, and die-hard Winnipeg Jets fan.
email:kristjanthompson@gmail.com

Aaron Webb
Bio: No exciting beginning here - I was born, grew up, went to undergrad and med school in Winnipeg. I like to leave town as often as possible, but every trip reminds me that this is where I want to live. I was fortunate enough to spend all my childhood summers living at the lake about an hour east of Winnipeg, which largely shaped who I am today. When I was old enough, I started working on the local ambulance service and spent 5 years as a paramedic before I decided to go to medicine. I've had tunnel vision for this program since day 1 and am ecstatic to be part of the group. When I have some free time (which isn't much these days) I can be found running, skiing, camping, and meowing at strangers.
email:umwebbam@cc.umanitoba.ca

PGY 4

Robert Gooch
Bio: I grew up in Vancouver, where I learned that Lululemon is acceptable formal wear, and a centimetre of snow makes roads impassable. I split my time between running track and being a total math nerd. I made the mistake of trying to do an undergrad in biophysics, but halfway trough, I realized I'd rather being ordering CT's than figuring out how the CT machine works, so I flew across the country and started medical school at Western. After four years spent mostly at the track, I graduated and decided I needed to discover what a real winter (and real trauma) is like, so I came to Manitoba. My interests include running fast, resuscitation, and new, creative explanations for how that foreign body might have got there.
email:rgooch44@gmail.com

Carmen Hrymak
Bio: I grew up on a farm in Erickson, a small Manitoba town, where a lot of my time was spent looking after the animals. I spent most of my free time playing sports and riding horses. I used to do competitive equestrian riding, but now I just ride for fun when I can. From there I went to Brandon for three years for my undergrad degree where I had fun mixing various chemical and eventually earned a chemistry degree. Since then, I have been in Winnipeg for medical school and residency. I continue to enjoy activities outside of work including running, yoga, tennis, and long walks by the river. I also occasionally get back to the farm to visit the animals.
email: umhrymak@cc.umanitoba.ca

Murdoch Leeies
Bio: The name Murdoch means "prosperous from the sea." Unfortunately I am still looking for a way to harness the power of the sea for profit (and healing). I am half Scottish, half Polish and one sixteenth Chinese. I was born in Winnipeg's urban core where I developed a deep affection for sticking chest tubes into its residents. Before realizing my love of resuscitation I had a variety of odd-jobs including dancing fork, baritone-for-hire, and Pilates instructor. My choice of Winnipeg for Emergency Medicine was an easy one. The residents are cool and it's a very cohesive, supportive group. The staff doctors love to teach and have a wealth of experience to share. Winnipeg is basically a funnel for pathology with its huge catchment area of patients. Our program is small enough for each resident to get hands-on experience without competitive pressure for sexy procedures, management of rare presentations, and niche development while boasting a level 1 trauma centre, cardiac centre of excellence and emergency sub-specialists in toxicology, EMS, palliative care, ethics, critical care, ultrasound and simulation just to name a few. We also have the best sushi In Canada - I'll prove it to you as long as you pay. My current interests in Emergency Medicine include Critical Care, Resuscitation and EMS. My current interests in life include home renovations, luxury travel and fitness modelling. I'm only actively participating in one of these though. Along with many of the other residents I also found my soulmate here - while not officially known as the city of love I suspect that there's something in the water in Winnipeg.
email: umleeies@cc.umanitoba.ca

Kathryn Toews
Bio: I grew up in Beautiful British Columbia on a healthy diet of granola and mountain air. I did an undergrad degree at UBC in Microbiology and then trained as a physiotherapist. I worked at an inner city hospital in Vancouver until I decided that I was more interested in the medical issues of my patients than their rehab and returned to UBC for Medical School.
Most people want to know why anyone, including a Resident, leaves BC and moves to Manitoba...I came here for the acuity of the medicine and the hands on experience. The residents and staff are some of the nicest people I've ever worked with. I have been enjoying the city of Winnipeg for its culture and recreation. In my free time I like to cycle, swim and do anything outdoors. I love to camp, backpack, canoe and kayak. I thought that by leaving BC I would be missing out on outdoor adventure, but there is a lot to do in Manitoba. The Canadian Shield is close, there are a million lakes here, and Grand Beach is an easy drive from the city. Manitoba has been great and I heard that it is sunny here in the winter! If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at kt_toews@yahoo.ca
email: kt_toews@yahoo.ca

PGY 5

Tom Jelic
Bio:I moved from Serbia to Winnipeg at the wee-old age of 8 months. Did my undergrad at the UofW, and took off for adventure and more importantly a medical degree. I was lucky enough to get both. I graduated in 2009 from Ross University, which took my on a mini tour of North America. I spent a few months living in Dominica, Washington DC, New York City, and Cleveland. After having spent a month during an elective at HSC-ED in Winnipeg, I fell in love with this program. My wife and I have settled back into life here and love it. My current interests include medical education and trying to figure out how to ultrasound anything and everything (oh yes it can be done!). Questions, don't hesitate to email!
email: tjelic@gmail.com

David Kirschner
Bio: 2-3 words to describe:
-me first day of R1: in too deep
-first 2 years of residency: treading water
-how I felt on call so many nights at 3 am: not again
-our simulation component: practice practice practice
-first shift ever moonlighting: in too deep
-reading Rosen's chapters: stupid Rosen's boxes
-our attending physicians: fun mentors
-the procedures I've done: back off surgery
-my wife and children during residency: supportive fun escape
-how I feel at the beginning of R5: bring it

I said it last year and I say it again now: I love my program.  I love my family.  I love my life.
email: umkirscd@cc.umanitoba.ca

Katie Sullivan
Bio: For someone who is usually never at a loss for words, I had a difficult time writing my bio. I am a born & partly bred American, who grew up in Upstate New York, Boston & finally Winnipeg. (I realize this transition of my through-and-through Irish family may not make sense to some people). Growing up, I preferred to spend my time in the dance studio & on stage. Always a Broadway dreamer, even when leaving Winnipeg to complete a science degree @ McGill University, I envisioned a life of feathers, sequins and lights. However, my hopes of show-biz stardom were dashed after spending several unfulfilling summers both performing professionally & waitressing/bussing @ local establishments. Returning home to the prairies for medical school, I sort of fell into Emergency Medicine at the last minute. Aside from boasting a disproportionate number of dancers & left-hand dominant residents, the Emergency Medicine program at the University of Manitoba hosts incredible pathology & trauma, dedicated attendings, and residents who are always rallying to support one another. I could not envision spending 5 years any other way!
Outside of medicine, I still strap on my tap shoes every Monday night for class. I enjoy fitness of any kind (especially bootcamp!), reading novels that have nothing to do with medicine and long walks in the snow. I also indulge in Glee & the color pink whenever possible! Give me a shout if you have any questions or would like to find out more info about our program.
email: umsulli2@cc.umanitoba.ca

Julian Regehr
Bio: I grew up here in Winnipeg and spent most of my formative years playing trumpet or riding horses (though never together interestingly). Undergrad netted me degrees in music and theology so my first step toward the world of medicine came when I got a job as a paramedic here in Winnipeg. I really liked the lights and sirens but after a while realized that I wasn't done learning yet. So, I decided to head back to university and ultimately got into the Faculty of Medicine. Along the way I got a bunch of grey hair, and three kids (well, actually I already had two of them at the beginning of med school) and started dreaming of being an Emergency Room Physician.

As you might imagine, Emergency Medicine was a natural fit for me. I love the diversity and acuity and the constant stream of information that I have to make sense of. Now in my last year of training I'm excited to put all of this learning into practice and start giving back to the program that I love so much.

What else do I do? My professional interest is in disaster and pre-hospital medicine. As a result, I am connected to STARs here in Manitoba, teach paramedics, and work with the Office of the Fire Commissioner and the Manitoba Heavy Urban Search and Rescue team. As you can see, opportunities are endless here in Manitoba.

If you have any questions about our program or its people, send me an email. email: jregehr21@me.com